


Bordeaux Year

by booktick



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Chance Meetings, Falling In Love, From Friends to Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Slow Romance, and not always in that order, if the show won't pair them up then i'll just do it myself then, it's complicated - Freeform, not spoiler free at all, post-s4
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-08 20:48:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14702007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booktick/pseuds/booktick
Summary: Chance meetings between Oswald Cobblepot and Edward Nygma.





	Bordeaux Year

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any of this franchise.

* * *

The taxi had been the last choice for transport. It wasn't like Oswald went around carrying cash in his pockets, well, he did but that wasn't the point. Gotham sat behind a blanket of rain, which poured merciless from the sky above. There he was, without his umbrella, and only a cane as means of getting around. He had to act fast though, in a city like Gotham taxis went fast.

His hand gripped the door and he entered the vehicle with a huff. His sigh of relief was met with not only his door shutting but the one across from him. He held his breath out of instinct, though the presence beside him seemed fully and impatiently unaware of him. Oswald lifted his gaze from his soaked pants to whoever had sat down beside him.

"To the Wayne Hotel."

 _Edward_.

Oswald pressed his lips together, a grimace and a unbreaking stare was what he was good at...when he was focused on something anyway. Edward had no right to climb into this taxi, most importantly in that ridiculous bowler hat. He could have snatched it and burned it before Ed could react. He was quick enough to deceive the man twice already before in similar circumstances. Those circumstances being trapped together in a small space.

"Oswald." Ed began, "Why are you staring at me?"

Oswald's lips opened and shut a few times, much like a child caught stealing. He swallowed his pride, broke the state and turned to face forward. His hands gripped his cane tighter than needed. If they were outside, he may have swung at the pencil necked fool. But here they were, inside a taxi that was already moving forward and without any music to drown out the awkward air.

"Hello, Ed." Oswald held his chin in the air "Busy at the riddle factory?"

He could see the twitch at the corner of Ed's lips. He wasn't sure if it was Ed readying to lash out or to smile. His response hadn't been that clever anyway. Oswald hadn't thought much about Ed today--not a rarity but not exactly common either. It was an in between of the two, littered with a constant uneasiness. 

"And you, Oswald?" Ed asked "Busy cleaning your feathers?"

"I do not have feathers."

"All penguins have feathers."

Oswald's lips pulled back in that familiar forced smile he only awarded to the worst of Gotham. His breath deepened for a moment before he looked at Ed again. He blinked in silence for a few moments before his cane slipped and pressed down on the toe of Ed's shoe, right when the taxi had gone over another pothole on the road.

"Oswald-" Edward hissed at him.

"Apologies. It must have slipped when we hit the bump." Oswald answered, with a far too happy laugh at the end.

"Careful, Oswald." Ed had his eyes on his wounded foot, even wiggled it around some "You might trip over your own lies."

That was awfully bold to say for someone who put a giant question mark on a bowler hat and called it clever.

"Not before you do on your ego." Oswald piped back.

After all, it wasn't like he broke the man's toes. It would have been justifiable though. Ed was good at breaking things after all. What was one more thing? Ed still had the biggest mouth in Gotham and it was the one unbreakable thing Ed had left. Oswald had heard enough of the man's jabs from the boxing match this week and a shared taxi ride of them was quite enough. He would happily take a vow of silence if Ed gave up this ridiculous...calling or whatever it was with the Riddler.

"Very funny, Oswald." Ed scoffed.

Oswald pulled his cane back to him, close to his owm leg instead. He turned forward once more, his smile warmed into a genuine one. It was fun being around Ed at times. Not as good as before but...at times...it was close enough. Perhaps sharing a ride in a taxi wasn't absolutely terrible...only slightly terrible.

 _Yet_.

"You're heading to Wayne Hotel." Oswald spoke up after a good two minutes of silence.

Edward chose to continue the silent game. The green man's back straightened and shoulders dropped. Oswald let his gaze get lost, it traveled along Ed's neck and chest. The green was far too bright. It would look better with a darker shade, silk would be a good addition. He hadn't realized how long he had been staring until he heard a heavy sigh enter his ear.

His eyes darted back up and Ed, at some point, had leaned towards him. He met Ed's gaze with little trouble. He tried his best not to smile at the action. Edward had tried to kill him after all. Despite it all, Oswald enjoyed the presence of Ed just as much as he despised it.

"Must you gaze at me like a lost puppy, Oswald?"

Oswald let himself sneer at the comment. At least he wasn't smiling. A smile would have Ed mistake this interaction as being in his favor.

"Don't be ridiculous," Oswald blinked quickly before turning his body towards his passenger door "I was wondering why you'd wear something so unbelievably tacky."

He could hear Ed's puzzled expression, right down to the wrinkles at the corner of that frown. Oswald liked the color green, sure, but there were limits. The constant blinding of green each time they met had his stomach toss. Ed was really pushing this whole vendetta against him. Question Mark's, green...bowler hats! The Riddler was a bad influence. 

"It isn't tacky. It makes a statement." Ed argued.

Oswald rolled his eyes "Which is that it's tacky."

"I don't know why I even bother, Oswald." Ed huffed, the leather of the seat squeaking as the taller man turned towards his own door.

What a sight they must have been for the taxi driver. Two prominent and outspoken figures in Gotham sitting in the back of a Taxi while heading to Wayne Hotel of all places. Jim would have thought they were up to something. Nothing ever ends well with those two alone Bullock had said once...maybe twice...five times top. The point was, while they may have both had enough tension between them to slice with a knife they could be just as deadly when put together.

"I was mistaken, Ed."

"What-?"

"Your outfit. It is presentable. Not tacky at all." Oswald said, almost hushed "Green suits you."

While Edward did not reply this time, Oswald decided his thoughts were correct. They certainly were a sight to behold no matter the circumstances--good and bad.


End file.
